Vanished!
by Feline Rose
Summary: Pietro disappeared nearly two weeks ago. One night a mysterious stranger comes to the Mansion riding a great white wolf. She claims to know where Pietro is. Currently on hiatus.
1. The Messenger

_"I believe it is time to send news of our visitor to his sister and brethren."_

_"I agree, my lady. I shall be ready at dawn."_

_"No. Send Lady Paca. If she takes her wolf, she will be there by noon tomorrow."_

_"As my lady wishes."_

_***_

It was a regular day at the Xavier Mansion. Well, perhaps not so regular. Pietro Maximoff had gone missing a few weeks ago, and Wanda was worried sick. Every few minutes she rushed to the window to see whether her brother's familiar blurred form was racing down the path.

"Good riddance." Scott had muttered under his breath. His girlfriend then punched him in the arm.

"Be nice!" said Jean. "Pietro's not too bad!"

"I still don't trust them."

"Well, do you think we have any other choice?" That had silenced him.

Until the day that a strange woman had appeared at the door of the Mansion. Kitty had answered the door. Once she had seen who was there she had gone racing towards the Professor's study, not caring who or what got in her way. After the Professor had come down she had reopened the door to show a gray-haired, light-brown skinned woman with one green eye and the other blue.

"I seek a young woman named Wanda Rose Maximoff, as well as the Brotherhood of Bayville. Are they here? I have news of her kinsman."

"Pietro?" All three people turned to see the Scarlet Witch leaning out over the railing of the grand staircase. "She knows about Pietro?"

"Are you Wanda Rose?" Wanda nodded. "Is the Brotherhood here? I have heard that they are his only family left." Wanda looked stunned for a moment, as did Kitty and the Professor. After a pause, she said,

"Hang on. I'll get them." Wanda ran down the hall calling for her friends. In the meantime, Professor Xavier invited the stranger in. Kitty froze a bit when she saw what was behind the older woman.

"Do you mind if my wolf borrows your fireplace for a short while? I'm afraid she finds your New England weather rather harsh."

"No, not at all, Madam. My I ask where you are from?" The Professor led the pair into his study, where he started a fire and moved away so that the stranger's wolf could lie down.

"I am from another world, much different then your own, and still very much the same. It is called Crossroads, and I, myself, am Lady Paca Ootaru, royal messenger of her majesty _Jivana_ Anuerinne Spring." Wanda and the Brotherhood appeared in the doorway. The Professor nodded for them to come in and sit down. Lady Paca sat as well and took the tea that Professor Xavier offered her. "As I was saying I have news of a young man named Pietro Maximoff. Her Majesty was told that he had friends and family here on Earth. I was charged with bringing the news of your brother's state, and hopefully, setting your minds at ease."

"What happened to Pietro?" asked Lance. His face was bunched in concern, as was the rest of the Brotherhood.

"I'm... afraid that he took quite a beating. How long ago was it that your brother vanished?"

"Three weeks."

"Ah. That fits the time line that your brother gave us." seeing Wanda's heightened interest, she added. "Don't worry, he's healing up fine. Although he will have a few scars once we get him back to you."

"How'd he end up with you guys?"

"A telepathic friend of her Majesty felt his presence in our homeland. We sent our a party to rescue him."

"Where the hell are you from?" Todd demanded. Wanda gave him an odd look; this was not normal behavior for Todd to be this forthright.

"As I told the Professor, I am from another world, much different then your own, and still very much the same. It is called Crossroads, and my name is Lady Paca Ootaru. I'm a messenger for the queen of Crossroads. If you wish, I can petition her Majesty for you to visit him on Crossroads. However, he is very weak. You... you may not like what you find."

"We ain't scared!" Freddie's face was now that of grim determination. "He's our friend, and I say we go visit 'im!" Lady Paca smiled amusingly, and Wanda now noticed that her face was covered in strange, red symbols. Spirals flourished on each cheek, and what looked like the tops of triangles graced either side of her wizened forehead. Three straight lines came up on her chin, much like the war paint of American Indians.

"What are those symbols on your face?" she asked curiously. Lance gave her a glare, as if to say _How can you be thinking of her tattoos at a time like this?!? _Wanda glared right back as if to say, _Just trying to be polite, you big buffoon! _Lady Paca noticed this silent exchange and had too hold back a chuckle.

"I used to be in the army. These are a general's markings. But then, I grew too old to fight. Time waits for no one, I suppose." She crinkled her eyes in laughter. Then she stood up and set down her teacup on the coffee table. "I really must be going. If her Majesty agrees, I shall send for you all within a fortnight. Goddess bless, my dears." With that, the stranger left the study, motioning to her wolf-mount to follow.

And that was it. The Brotherhood debated whether what the woman said was true. Wanda, of course, was about ready to chase after Lady Paca to _force _her to take her to Crossroads. Wherever _that_ was. But in the end, Lance managed to calm Wanda down somewhat and had convinced her to wait and see if the messenger came back.

Two days later, Lady Paca did come back. But she wasn't alone.

**End Part One**


	2. The Road Trip

_"Did you find the Brotherhood?"_

_ "Yes, my lady. They're on their way."_

_ "Good. Prepare the guest rooms."_

_ "As you wish."_

_***_

They had been on the road for nearly three hours. Their escort, consisting of Lady Paca and what they were told was a palace servant, Alchemy Foxglove. The woman in question hadn't stopped talking since they had set out.

"So when y'all get there, one our people'll take y'all to see your brother. Name's Apollinaire. Kinda weird if you ask me."

"What's this 'Apollinaire' guy like?" asked Fred.

"Looks just like Avalanche, but taller. Much, much taller. They say that he has shadows where his eyes should be, and always has on a big, black trenchcoat that he hides treasures in. Nobody no where he comes from, or what he is, exactly. Doctor Kaleng thinks he's a Faea, but every time you ask him, he neither confirms, nor denies. Of course, some people think he is a demon from Hell, but if you ask me, that's all just a load of shit. The boy doesn't talk at all, really. He spoke only once, when we first found him. Ani asked him what his name was and he said only 'Apollinaire.' When she asked him to spell it he spelled it out in the dust. Since then he hasn't spoken even a single word. He just uses hand gestures and sign language to ask for things.

"Believe it or not, one night we were on a routine checkup of one of the rougher neighborhoods in town and we were being chased by a bunch of dogs. So we turn the corner and find a dead end. So there WE are, freaking out, and Apollinaire thrusts out his hands, and these black... tentacle-like things shoot out from his hands. They enter the mouth of each dog and every single one of them just stops barking and their eyes turn into shadows, just like Apollinaire's. So then these dogs... I don't really know what happened, they just... quit moving. He walked past them like they were statues, and then motioned for us to follow. You know what Little Seraphina told me after that incident? She said 'I think Apollinaire is an angel.' Just like that! An angel on Crossroads." Alchemy laughed. "What a strange world."

"Kitty told me about some mutant guy in New York that had some kind of wings that made people think there was an angel lookin' after people." said Lance.

"Y'know, I think I may have read about that someplace," commented Wanda. "Maybe Pietro told me about it." She leaned over in her saddle. "What do you think?" For the first time since they left Earth, Alchemy was silent. Then,

"I don't know what to think. He's a nice guy and all- helped a family move into the Manor a just a few days ago- but there's somethin' he ain't tellin' us. Like how them shadows got where 'is eyes ought to be. An' that trenchcoat of 'is..." Suddenly she looked up. Ahead lay a beautiful stone castle with majestic turrets and a neatly kept cobblestone road leading up to it. Alchemy motioned to Lady Paca to ride ahead. The older woman nodded, nudging her wolf to quicken her pace.

"Lay close to your mounts! We'll run the rest of the way! _Tumakbo_!" The Brotherhood's mounts reared and began to run, gallop, and dash across the cobblestone road. Lance's horse neighed in triumph as soon as they reached the gate. His rider, however, simply dropped to the ground in shock.

"Ow." he said weakly.

"Saddle-sore?" asked Lady Paca. Stretch your legs a little and you'll get over it." Alchemy was busy holding back a chuckle, when a new voice interrupted their relief at finally getting to Spring Manor.

"I suppose you'll be wanting in. State your name and business." A half-man half-lion creature stepped out from behind the guardhouse. His light brown beard was in disarray, and his tail twitched irritably. Lady Paca sighed.

"Lady Paca Ootaru, bringing the members of the Brotherhood of Bayville to see their fallen comrade, Pietro Maximoff."

"Alchemy Foxglove," said the younger woman, still giggling over Lance's inexperience at riding. "Here for the same reason." Finally she burst in a mad cackle. Lance scowled and folded his arms.

"Not. Funny." The guard rolled his eyes and pulled a lever. The gate opened, revealing a beautiful green courtyard. The Brotherhood gaped at the fertile grounds in wonder.

"Enter." he droned. "Welcome to Spring Manor."

* * *

Longer chapter later. I own none of the Marvel Universe. Crossroads and it's inhabitants belong to me.


End file.
